


Back In Black

by authorallyy



Category: Fairy Tales & Related Fandoms, RotG
Genre: Blood, Child Abuse, Darkness, Death, Evil Mother, F/M, Fear of Heights, Fighting, Fire, Hate and Love, Long Relationship Building, Snowstorms, Violent, daughter - Freeform, old
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-06
Updated: 2015-12-14
Packaged: 2018-04-07 23:06:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 20,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4281462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/authorallyy/pseuds/authorallyy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“And so the little lamb and his mama live happily ever after,” the girl finished reading her story aloud to the creature beside her. Hopeful orbs of blue glistened as she cocked her head up at him. “Mister Boogey?”<br/>No response from underneath the black coat. She frowned, teetering off her seat ever so slowly before her tiny feet reached the ground.<br/>“Mister Boogey?” she asked again, gripping the corners of the dark trench coat.  When nothing responded, she slowly peeled it open, revealing the coat rack on which he had been perched. Where had he gone?<br/>The little girl shrunk back, upset that her friend had left without a word. She curled up in her chair, clutching the book tightly. Suddenly, a soft wind blew through the empty room, but before she could turn to see what had caused it, she was swept up in darkness.<br/>“Gotcha,” the creature chuckled, cradling her close to him.<br/>The child squeal with laughter most contagious, pleased of his return.<br/>“I thought you left!” She gave a pout, looking up at his shadowy face.<br/>“Why, my dear, I’d never leave you. I am your guardian after all, am I not?” The monster gave her a toothy smile. “And I will always be your Boogeyman.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Savior In the Dark

The little girl whom he became friends with sat on the floor on the musty, dank hallway. She laid back, her shoulders hitting the wall with a small thump. In front of her was a drawing of her.. and him.

"Mr. Boogey, why does Daddy hate me?" She asked suddenly. Only a moment ago she was humming childishly as she drew, while Kozmotis absentmindedly picked at his fingernails. The question startled the tall man as he glanced down to her, his gold eyes dancing around her then finally to her blue orbs. He knew it from since they met, she was a remarkably smart child for her age.

"I don't believe he hates you," He said softly, setting his nail in his mouth as he nibbled the loose piece off. "He's.. well.." How do you explain a drunken bastard to a little girl? It was less then impossible.

"Mr Boogey?" She mused over her thoughts while she turned over a crayon in her little hands.

"Yes?" He answered collectively, but his tone was stressed. He hated to upset her.

"You don't have to lie to me. That's why Mommy left, huh?" She looked up to him with her stunning blue eyes, now watery with tears that haven't fallen yet. "I want a real Daddy, one who loves me and gives me piggy back rides and plays with me. . . Mr Boogey I want a Daddy like you!" Her tears spilled over onto her pink cheeks as she brought her legs to her chin.

"Oh, oh, oh, " Kozmotis then swept her up in his arms and cradled her softly. In his dark, cold heart, there was a spot that melted for her. Seeing the small streaks from her tears run down her face made him want to do very bad things to the one who caused them. Alas, he promised a certain meddling group he wouldn't interfere with her father, knowing doing so could end badly for her. "Now I don't want to see any tears, you're a big girl, are you not? Big girls don't cry, do they. " Her little fists rubbed her eyes instinctively.

"Imma big girl and I don't cry.." She sounded unsure, but her tears had dried. Her bright blue orbs were back but.. duller then usual.

The familiar rumble and tumble came from the main bedroom as Kozmotis set the little girl down on the dull brown wood floors.

Kozmosis set a calming hand on her shoulder, but she was gone from his reach in seconds. "Oh no, he would see my drawings and he'll--" She jumped about, trying to stuff her crayons back in their box and  hide her drawing but it was too late. The Bedroom door opened and she froze, like an icicle down her back _she couldn't move_. A large man stumbled out, the smell of cigar smoke and whiskey wafted from his room, hitting her nose and making her hold her breath so she wouldn't cough.

"Where' tah lil brat.." He slurred, glancing down the hallway, past the invisible Kozmosis and the down to the little girl, only a few feet from the door. He was well past drunk. "Whaah thiss?" He growled drunkenly, bending over to grab the sheet of lined paper. He furrowed his eyebrows and grimaced. "Itsah tah tall man again, ain't it, yah brat? Tah Boogey man? Yeh know he eats Lil brats like yeh," He grumbled angrily as he ripped it to prices. "He ain't real you lil cunt--"

"But Daddy, he is real! Can't you see him? He's here all the time!" She turned to where Kozmotis was but saw nothing. "But.. he was there a minute ago..."

"I told yeh, ders nuttin there you Lil brat!" He then grabbed her by the shoulders, crumpling the paper. She screamed in terror and in pain. "This'll teach yeh, yeah Lil brat, yeh deserve a beatin!"

Where was Kozmotis during all of this? He left her, but only because he had to. He had to hold his tongue and stay back because of the promise he had with the Guardians. He wasn't allowed to meddle with the affairs of children,  none of them were. He had done it before with evil intentions, but this... he wanted to save her.

Even from the forest outside her town he could hear her screams. How did the whole town not hear? Her voice echoed on his head. "Big girls don't cry.. big girls don't cry..b-big girls d-dont cry.." Her voice was like a ghost, drifting around, haunting him.

He suddenly realized, he had enough.

Like a spark that ignited him, he raced back to her. He went back on his promise to The Guardians, but had a plan. Once he made it back to the moth eaten house, her screams and sobs of pain and fear was breaking his scull, beating on his brain in the most violent way. He couldn't stand it, her constant beating every other day were driving him mad. Like a lighter in a room full of gas he flicked his hand and his spindly fingers grew alight with fire, a trick he recently discovered. The small flame grew to a large handful of flames so he could light the house. Waltzing in, he ran his fingers against hte cheap wallpaper, leaving a trail of burning embers before he took his flaming hands and flipped the bulky drunk man off her and broke his back against the wall.

There she was, beaten and bloody. Her body convulsed, involuntarily whimpers as he crept closer. _She was still breathing_. Barely.

"Oh, my dear, he'll never hurt you again, I'll guard you for the rest of my life if I have to," Kozmotis said reassuringly, as the flames on his hands faded away. He carefully picked the poor girl up, making her whimper in pain and clutch onto his coat.

"M-M-Mr Boogey.." She sobbed quietly, hiding her red face in him.

"Shh, my dear.." Kozmotis  then fled the now burning house with her in his arms. The plan he had wasn't the smartest, but in that moment, he didn't care. She was safer with him then anyone else in this world.

 

 


	2. A Bird Comes and Goes

Kozmosis took her back to the dark lair he called home and created a  room with in the sandy rock for his new guest. He was afraid to set her down. Afraid, him, the Guardian of Fear and Nightmares. He feared for her life.

Her breath was shallow and her grip on his coat was unbreakable. He carefully peeled her from him and set her in the makeshift bed, taking his nightmare sand and formed it into a  material similar to his coat, and cover her with blankets of the now softer material. She kept her eyes closed, held shut forcefully as she took another grip on the sheets. She.. she wouldn't last the night and Kozmosis knew that.

Light broke through a hole in the ground above his lair. It shown down in a perfect circle by Kozmosis' globe. He knew the words the Man In The Moon wanted to say couldn't be said in symbols. Instead, a disembodied voice echoed in his head. He had never heard this voice before, but without speaking a name he knew who it was. A shiver ran down his spine as it spoke.

" ** _You know saving her come with a price_**."

"I..I know, old man. But its a price I'm willing to pay." Kozmosis set his hand on the girl under the blanket. He spoke before he had thought of the words to say. "Please."

" ** _Kozmosis, the man who is the King of Fear, the Creator of Nightmares, is begging me to save someone else's life? This is certainly a first._** "

"I know, old man. " Kozmosis said harshly, getting frustrated. "I don't care, just help her!"

" ** _You have more heart then you think, Pitch. Now I would love to help, but fate has found its way already._** " The light faded and disappearing completely into darkness. Kozmosis looked down to the girl and felt her heartbeat. He started to panic. He felt her wrist, then her neck, then checked the source.

It was gone.

 

Fate. A funny way for the pesky Man In The Moon to say the Kosmosis didn't need to beg. She was to become a spirit anyway. The Man did do one thing, he allowed her to age as a human till she was of age. Of  course for Kosmosis, the years flew by. It seemed like only memories, things he remembered before they even happened.

"I'm going to find you, my little Nightmare," Kozmosis said on day, very determined to find his little girl was hiding somewhere in his palace of black sand. Yes, it was his little girl, she was safe with him, he was a better Father to her then the drunk would ever be. The little girl had no memory of him, she woke the next morning thinking Kosmosis 'Pitch' Pitchiner, Guardian and King of Nightmares, was her father. Kosmosis went with it. Something sparked in him, an instinct that had long been buried.

"No you won't!" called out the 6 year old. Kozmosis immediately pinpointed where she was. She just gave away her spot.

"I've got you now, my dear, " Kozmosis chuckled, creeping up on her hiding spot under a lopsided row of stairs. "Now come here... You." he swept her in his arms and enveloped her in darkness. She was a giggling mess, before she opened her eyes. Beautiful gold eyes shined bright in the darkness. So unlike her shining blue ones from before.

She continued to giggle and wiggle in his arms, and he couldn't help but chuckle along.

The truth is, she reminded him so much of his own daughter, and oh how he missed her. She always had bright blue eyes that twinkled when he came home. He remembered her black,  bushy curly hair that bounced as she chased one of the many butterflies she loved. And she was a split image of her. Same black hair, same ecstatic personality. It was like he was living a dream. Like he was sucked back in his past, when he would come home and scoop the girl in his arms and spend the nights catching luminescent butterflies. Oh, how he missed her. he ached to have her in his arms, and now, he can relive that. He pulled the girl in his arms closer.

Years passed, memories past, and Kosmosis, who after time was better known as Pitch, wasn't prepared to let go of his Utopian dream of family again. Now she was less his little girl but a growing young adult, ready to take on the world. Not like he would let her, over the years Pitch grew protective, obsessively protective. What turned from hide and seek was now battle training. Bedtime stories turned to propaganda. Guardians, bad. Its all she knew. 

As if she was actually his, it seemed that she inherited traits from him like a child would. Only in this case, things worked in strange ways, as always. What she gained as fire power, Pitch lost. He was left with his nightmare sand, and nothing more. She had his amber eyes, bright and florescent against the darkest shadow. She had a inkling of a skill with her own shadow, only able to transform herself into a shadow like creature of sorts, nothing to the extent of her new father. 

Ellie Pitchiner flopped on her bed, hearing the creaky door close behind her. A few hours of training with her dad had her tired and ready to pass out.

"I can't believe it, tired already?" Her dad teased, opening the door enough to lean in the stone frame. Like the rest of this lair the room was carved out from the dark, black stone. Her bed was a old metal frame with a cushioned mattress and her bedspread, her favorite color, blue. The rest of the room was dark colors derived from a very to a devious black.

Pitch was dressed in his old armor, which more then enough time protected him from blows his daughter dealt. She was as passionate as he was at attacking, but had much more patience then him in waiting for the perfect 'kill'. She showed him how impulse-heavy his fighting style was.

"Hey, you worked me hard today," She mumbled into her pillow, before sitting up and flipping her long curly hair out of her face. The years have changed her, the eleven of them she spent here. The little, red cheeked girl had turned into the who she is now. Her hair had became less fluffy but held the same effortless curl. Her stubby body had lengthened, her curves evening out her almost hourglass shape. Her pudgy cheeks had turned into a perfect heart shape.  She bloomed into a beautiful 17 year old.

She would grow and stop at her 18th birthday. He.. he knew he couldn't have her forever. She was destined for what The Man In The Moon needs her to be.

Pitch chuckled. "Eh, true. Tired, my dear? Get some rest then." He then turned from the door, keeping his back pinned on the frame. He then left her to rest. And boy, was Ellie tired. More tired then she was a minute ago. Instead of changing and crawling in to bed properly, she fell back on her pillows and curled to her side, facing the wall.

_'North, why did you call us here?'_

_'There better be a good reason, I just started my eggs and their currently unsupervised, Mate.'_

_'You know me, I love coming to the Pole, but me and Jamie were going to go sledding and-'_

_North hushed them, quieting the bunch easily._

_'You all know I wouldn't call you if it wasn't important,' He said, his voice calm but booming in the room. He set his hands on his invisible waist and moved from their view of the floor. Moonlight shined down to where North was and under the floor opened a pedestal._

_'Wait, a new Guardian?' Asked Tooth, who was hovering calmly to the side of Bunny._

_'Why? Were doing just fine, it was only last year we got Jack, and he's a handful-'_

_'Hey!' the Frost Spirit said, furrowing his eyebrows at Bunny._

_'Oh relax you.'_

_'Bunny, Jack, stop it. Calm down you two.' Scolded Tooth._

_'Wait!' North saw Sandy silently sign that the pedestal was glowing. They all turned to the pedestal and watched as the moonlight created a glowing figure. The figure, was Ellie._

Ellie woke in a cold sweat. It was like she was a ghost, watching what just happened unfold in front of her.

"Dad?" She called weakly. She wasn't tired anymore, but a dream like that took it out of her. When she laid there for a moment more and got no response she unwillingly got up and trotted to the door. Her bare feet felt warm against the chilly stone floor.  Opening the door, she Immediately saw him. He was kneeling by his globe, with his hands in his hair.

"No," He said desperately. His hands gripped his hair. A circle formed in front of where he sat, and a pillar of rough black stone rose from the ground. Instead of white light, it was a shadowy gray. It was the same figure, a figure of Ellie from her dream, when she was training and fighting with him. Her eyes turned towards him as he spoke again. "Please don't take her from me..."

 

 


	3. Heart Attacks and Fiery Escapes

"So.. where is she?" Asked bunny, looking from the figure to North. He frowned at the figure. "Or better, who is she?"

"I don't know. Manny?" The figure changed to a wooden bed above a rotten hole.

"Pitch? Pitch has her? " Tooth said urgently, her little fairies (besides little Baby Tooth, who was sitting on Jacks shoulder) buzzed around her In a rushed panic. The figure formed back to the girl. Sandy, silent as always, pointed to the strings of sand around her.

"Everyone, to the Sleigh!" North boomed, leaving the  pedestal and turning towards the door to the sleigh.

"But my eggs.." Bunny whined, slumping his shoulders.

"C'mon, Cottontail," Said Jack, who was right behind North to get into the sleigh room.

 

 

I hurriedly closed the door and laid my back on it. What was going on? My dream couldn't be real. Maybe I was still dreaming. I pinched my wrist and recoiled, in dreams you don't feel pain.

I laid a hand over my heart, as if I could calm its rapid beating. What was going on? My room suddenly became hot and stuffy, I couldn't take it.Change, I'm not used to change. Creaking the door open, I saw Dad mumbling to someone I couldn't see. My figure, perched on the black stone, still stood like it was minutes ago.

Seeing that his back was turned from the door, I slipped out andsilentlyclimbed up the exit to the surface. Taking a breath of fresh, chilly air I climbed up into the snow. It felt like walking on ice shards on my bare feet as I padded to the rocks only a few yards away from home. I slid up into a shaded face of the rock where there was no snow and curled up, pulling my knees to my chest. The fresh air was doing wonders on my lungs and was calming me down. Opening my eyes, I looked around at the snowy banks and the frosted trees. What _was_ going on? Behind her rocks, something had crashed into the snow. I looked over the rock and spied the group from my dream. They all clamored out of a huge sleigh. The large furry guy came out last, holding his stomach.

"C'mon Bunny, I thought you liked the loop-de-loops!" Laughed the Russian man, wearing a red cloak.

"You crazy show-pony." He mumbled, holding onto the side of the Sleigh for a moment. With a smile I glanced at the other faces and fit them with what she remembered from the dream. The fairy, the bunny, the gold guy, the big intimidating guy, and.. the blue boy who was staring at right at me.

I ducked, smile fading. What should I do? Stay and await my doom, make a break for home, or fight?

"Hey, what are you doing out here?" The blue boy said in a friendly tone, hanging off the edge of the rock, looking at me with a small smile. Like instinct, I sulked back into the shadow, then disappeared into it. It was a trick I learned from her Dad, shifting into shadows to hide. I was never terribly good at it, but hell was I happy it worked this one time. "Wait, its okay-- what?"

I almost laughed out loud. The look on his face was priceless. I pressed her back against the cold stone and waited for them to leave.

Behind the rock, I heard voices talking. "Jack, what are you doing?" Called the one with the Russian accent.

"There was a girl over here, I think it was our mystery Guardian," The blue boy called over. "But then she just... disappeared."

"What?" The Bunny chimed in. He was much closer then she liked. She scooted under the lip of the rock, finding a large crevice.

"Yeah, she.. faded, slipped into the shadows. Yeah, the crack there."

"Then uh, then just.." I saw a big paw reach into the shadows, into the crevice, coming right for me. Panic over took me, as I scrambled back against the cold rock to make myself smaller, but to no avail. "Hey, I found a leg!" yelled the furry one, as my shadowy facade fell.

I hung upside down, looking at them with a panicked expression. They.. didn't move, just stared. Raising my eyebrow, I took the opportunity to then kick my free leg up into the furry one's jaw. He let go to hold his face and I plummeted into the fluffy snow, on all fours. Standing easily, I held my hands up in defense. Then, seeing that they still weren't jumping to recapture me, I ran for it.

"Wait!" I looked back, nearly colliding with a icy tree. The blue boy was hot on my tail. Speaking of hot..

"Oh no you don't," I yelled behind me, while flicking my wrist in front of me. Fire shot from my wrist, creating a pencil thin walkway that was perfect for grinding on. Being impervious to fire,the fire wouldn't hurt me or my surroundings, it created a way or me to 'fly', although it was more like being on a slip and slide of fiery wire and molten lava. Becoming five times faster then him, I raced to who knows where. I didn't know where I was going, because I rarely was able to sneak out and never had the guts to go farther then the rocks. This.. This was a new adventure, and I like it.

I looked behind me, seeing him pause in shock, shying away from my fiery trail. I smiled at the fact that I so easily lost him. Instead of shooting the trail from my wrist the fire came from my feet, continuously creating a path for me to slip along, dodging trees and all.

Then.. I ran out of fire. I was pretty high up, and running out of the only thing keeping me afloat was well, not pretty. Falling surely to my death, I let out a scream and saw the blue boy dart towards me. Great, double dead. Before I realized it, the blue boy caught me in his arms and started on the path to a nearby bank of fresh snow, free of sharp, dangerous rocks of death.  We tumbled into the snow, my chest hurting from holding my breath. I was fine, I was alive. Covered in snow, but alive. I looked at him as I took a deep breath. All the air had been sucked out of my lungs when his icy eyes pierced my golden ones.

"R-Relax, we didn't come to hurt you," He heaved, clearly recovering from having the wind knocked out of him. I just nodded and stared down to the snow.

I then saw the boy look up behind her. "Bunny you don't have to--" He exclaimed, seconds before I was scooped up into a velvety bag. Flailing, I realized there was no use and hung in the bag. Was this really conventional? who does that?

"Oh come on, once she caught her breath she was going to run again, Mate."

"Don't we want her on our side? Capturing her in a bag like you did me won't help her think we're friendly."

"She kicked me in the jaw, Mate. She's not friendly!"

"You dragged her out of her hiding place by the leg!"

"Can the giant Kangaroo release me from the bag," I called from inside, attitude heavy in my voice.

"Kangaroo-- what the bloody hell did you tell her-" I heard the blue boy laugh as the other one-- Bunny-- sputtered at him, as I was guessing.

"That's priceless, I didn't tell her anything, Easter Kangaroo," The blue boy teased.

"That's it mate, I've had it with you!" I was suddenly dropped by Bunny who went to as I assume tackle the boy to the ground. I went to pull at the opening of the bag but to no avail, I couldn't open it from the inside. Instead, moments later the bag opened to a friendly face, the burly Russian. He held put his hands (which then I noticed his tattoos, the words _Naughty_ and _Nice_  scrawled on each arm) and helped me out of the bag. I glanced to Bunny and the boy, as the fairy and the gold man were trying to pry them away from each other.

"Excuse them, they bicker a lot," He said kindly. His voice boomed with a genuine Russian accent. "But you must come with us, we'll explain at the Pole."

"But wait, what about-"

"You'll be safe at the Pole, with us. You'll be safe."

 

 


	4. Lies From The Mouth of Whom You Trust Most

Pitch kneeled on the floor and mumbled into his hands. He knew this day would come but.. why now? She had 9 months till her last birthday, she still had time with him.

"Damn you, Old Man, Damn you.." He mumbled. He was glad she was sleeping, He'd hate for her to see him like this. He'd hate to explain. He spent twenty minutes cursing at the old man before standing. He had to wake Ellie and.. and explain. He had to do it eventually, and she's probably going to be mad when he does. But.. it had to be done. It was their deal, the deal between Him and the Man In The Moon.

He slowly walked to her room, taking a sharp breath before clicking the door open.

"Sweetheart, wake up, I have something to--" Pitch froze. she was gone. "Ellie?" He called, louder so if she was anywhere through out the maze of stairs she would hear him. When he received no answer he knew she was gone.

Rushing to the surface, he searched the forest area around the hole, knowing she wouldn't go far. Then he stumbled upon a odd, sleigh-like tracks.

He then pulled his hands into fists and yelled into the snowy tracks. Anger was easily apparent on his face, as he stared as the broken snow. "Damn it, Old Man, how could you let them take her before I-" his voice broke and he looked desperately up at the sky,  is face distorted. "-before I could say goodbye..."

 

 

 

The group from my dream took me to their sleigh that they arrived in and helped me climb in. I went to sit but saw thick scratch marks in the wood, looking like they belong to the big bunny guy. Instead, I climbed up to the back and made sure I was ready to receive some loops like the big guy said earlier.

I don't even know why I climbed in, or walked with them to this extravagant sleigh. But I had the dream about them.. including me. I felt like I was meant to. Something.. celestial seemed to give me a gravitational pull to them, to at last wherever they were going.

Dad would be pissed. Actually no, pissed would be an understatement. He would be ready to rip heads off to get me back home. Seriously, he wouldn't hesitate if that was between him and me.

I sighed. I should have told him before I left. I can't leave him again like when we fought last year. I know that tore him apart. I remember coming home and the hole was sealed, Nightmares running a muck throughout the forest. I have a fit trying to reel all of them in before I could get to Dad.

"So uh, what's your name? I'm Jack, Jack Frost." I was jolted out of my thoughts as the boy with white hair spoke, feeling the sleigh take off from under us. There it was, the stab of fear. ah heights, my old nemesis.

"Ellie Pitchiner. " I said softly, trying not to look over the edge, which led me to keeping my eyes on him, then to everyone in the sleigh as he introduced them. 

He leaned on the edge of the sleigh, like the heavy wind didn't bother him. Weirdo. "Well, its nice to meet you. Let's see. that's Bunny," He pointed to the huge furry guy who currently was gripping the wood like a lifeline. "He doesn't like riding the sleigh."Bunny then scoffed at Jack, as he continued. " Then there's Tooth and her toothfairies," The fairy like woman waved happily, her fairies flying around her busily. One took a detour and buzzed to Jacks shoulder. "and Baby Tooth, I didn't forget you." He laughed at the little fairy. "And here we have Sandy and the one driving is North. " The gold guy silently waved and the big, burly guy boomed a happy hello to me, although he had his back to me.

I watched curiously as he dug in his huge coat and pulled out a sparkling orb. he said something to it, I couldn't hear what over the wind. He then threw the orb in front of us and a portal opened before us. before I knew it we were through and onto the other side. soft snowy trees turned to climbing mounds of fresh, undisturbed snow, with us steadily approaching a castle-like structure built into the mountain.

"Where at we?" I asked Jack, who was smirking at the structure.

"This, this is The Pole." I couldn't help smiling with him. his smile was contagious and in a good way.

We later dismounted the sleigh after North parked it on some cave like room. I was led to a grand room, with the center housing a huge globe, much like Dad's but much bigger.

North waved his hands up to his face and.. elves? What were they, elves? They all scattered forwards him, along with big furry guys who must me yetis or something. One, carried a thick book.

The elves had found instruments and began playing, and better then I thought. The yetis played too, but mostly they carried large torches and lit them.

suddenly one yeti picked me up and set me down in the center of the chaos. As I was about to protest, elves swarmed me and tried lathering me in these flower necklaces and flower crowns. After I was thoroughly uncomfortable, I saw North take the big book from the one yeti and open it up. He cleared his throat loudly, and the music died.

"It is time for you, Ellie Pitchiner, to take the oath." North opened his mouth as if he was going to continue, but I beat him to it.

"Wait wait wait, oath for what?" I stared at North, hoping this to be over soon. All this floral stuff was extremely flammable.

"Well, to be a Guardian, of course," Buzzed Tooth, who was between North and Sandy.

"Wait-- Guardian? My Dad told me stories about all of you. How you were mean and locked him in the forest." I peeled the flower and leaf necklaces off me and dropped them on a elf.  "I'm smart enough to not mix with.. with the wrong crowd." I the stepped out of the ring of jingly elves, only to be stopped by Jack as I turned around, right into him. 

"We're not the wrong crowd, who told you that? We are the ones who protect the children of the world."

"Who is your Dad?" Tooth then spoke, curiously.

I looked at her. "Pitchiner. Jeez, I was stupid to come here-"

"I knew it! She must be working with Pitch-" Grumbled Bunny, waving a paw at me dismissively. 

"Bunny don't say that, we don't know--" Tooth intervened, stopping him.

"Don't start it tooth, or he'll never shut up."

I stepped away from the tree. they had a tendency to talk over each other as they argued. Before I could react, the little gold man, Sandy, Tugged gently on my hand. THe floor underneath me shook as started to move, making me and the elves jump out of the way. The one covered in flowers tripped and rolled out of the way. Underneath us, a pedestal rose and a ray of white light fell upon it, as my figure appeared again.

"Shut it, you three. Ellie, correct? This is the real story. We are the Guardians, we are here to protect the children and all their memories, dreams, fun times, hope, and sense of wonder. We do not choose who makes an oath to become apart of us, The Man In The Mood does. He says you are destined to be a Guardian, so we know you should be." North spoke, explaining. I huffed a sigh, as I stared up at my shadow of a figure, Now, I was standing, my hand and wrist covered in static flames.

"Well, what if he's wrong? Even.. Even if I was to agree with being a Guardian, I'm dangerous. Fire and kids don't mix and.. at any time I could loose control again and.. and.. hurt people." I argued. It'd be stupid of me to do this. Become a Guardian. I belong back at home, with Dad, who was probably reeking havoc looking for me.

North sighed and closed the book, handing it back to the yeti. "Ellie, come with me." He said softly, and so I followed, not as reluctant as I should be. I noticed no one else did, but stayed behind. Where was he taking me? We stepped into a wooden elevator that went down to a colorful floor where yetis were making toys and elves were pretty much just in the way. As we stepped out one ran under my leg and I almost fell right on my butt. I caught myself by grabbing the door of the elevator.

"C'mon, keep up," North said lightheartedly, looking over us shoulder to me. I scurried over behind him, looking all around at the things flying around and the toys on the tables being made by the yetis. Ice sculptures of the toys stood on the edges of tables.

Soon we came to a large door. North opened it and help it open for me, and closed it sharply behind me. "I could give you the speech that I gave Jack," He said suddenly. "But I think you already know your center."

 

 

 


	5. Like A Light Switch But With More Blood

"I.. do?" I was madly confused. "First.. What's a center?"

North  turned from me and picked up the red Russian Doll from the shelf. He then turned back and handed it to me.  With a closer look, it realized it was North. The doll had these swords out, making him look threatening. "What do you see?" He asked.

"You... being threatening? Intimidating?" I questioned my answer.

"Yes! Now look in side."

I popped over the first layer of the Russian doll and the North inside was much different. "Jolly?" He smiled.

"But not just Jolly, I am mysterious, fearless, and caring, and at my Center,"

I opened each layer as he spoke, till I reached the literal center. "A baby you?"

"Look closer!" He exclaimed. I did, and about the only thing I noticed were his big eyes. "Your big eyes?"

"Yes! Big eyes, very big eyes that are full of Wonder," He exclaimed again, taking my shoulders and shaking them lightly. "Big eyes to see lights on trees, magic in the air! This is what I was born to do, to create wonder for the children and protect them. Now, what is your center?"

"I uh, I don't know." I stuttered. "You said I do but I really don't, North."

He smiled again. "You'll figure it out soon enough. Let Jack help you."

"Jack? Why Ja--"

A Roar came from downstairs, the globe room. "WHERE IS SHE?" I knew who it was. It was Dad, who came looking for me.

"Oh no," I mumbled. He would tear everything between him and me to get me back. I didn't want him to ruin this beautiful place.

"Pitch!" grumbled North. "Stay here, We'll deal with him."

"Deal with him? No, North--" He closed the door on my sentence and locked it. As I cursed to myself, I looked around. The table where the ice sculpture of a roller coaster stood held many tools. I took one, an ice pick, and started prying at the door.  No use. the ice pick was too weak and it was my best bet out of here.

"WHERE IS SHE YOU MEDDLING GUARDIANS?" Dad roared again. I started to panic. What if he hurt them? What if he hurt Jack? I looked around the room again. The window.  I must've built up enough juice to get me around the building to the opening in the globe room by now. I ran to it, and fiddled with the latch till I got it open. with a flick of my wrist, fire was at my heels and I was out.

I skated around in a curve, right into the opening in the ceiling. I let my hands catch on fire as I came down onto Dad. He was throwing his arrows of nightmare dust like spears at the guardians, that were fighting just as hard to not get hit. My foot came crashing down on his jaw, which knocked him on the floor. He quickly got up to attack who hit him but he immediately retracted when he saw it was me.

I was I flaming mess, my feet and hands were bathed in fire, and now these flames were crawling up my legs and arms. I could feel the guardians stare a hole into my back.

"Ellie, get out of my way." He panted. The look he held wasn't like anything I've seen before, its like last year over again..

"Why? So you can hurt them? No, I wont let you do that."

"I won't fight you!" He exclaimed.

"Then don't fight them!" I yelled back.

"But they stole.. you.. from... me!" With every word he swung his scythe, which in a moments notice he manifested. I ducked and made a staff out of fire and swung back. He obviously wasn't thinking.. right?

He said he wont fight me, but here he was, going to kill shots. So, I was too. We tangled in a fury of nightmare sand and fire, each of us just missing the others blow. Soon I'd had enough and I flipped way from his scythe to avoid his last blow, but my staff of fire caught his scythe and pulled me into the blade as the fire dissipated. I had no protection. I didn't have my trailing armor on. The blade's edge pushed into my torso as I crashed into it. Someone behind me, I couldn't make out the voice, exclaimed in terror, or so I thought.

It was odd, how I felt the blade rip open my skin like a zipper. The cut stretched from right under my chest down to my thigh. The blade was deadly sharp. I let go of my dissipating staff and I fell, the flames at my hands and feet dying out.

"Wh.. no, no no! My baby No! I didn't mean.. I'm-- Let go of me, North, let me--"

Suddenly I was surrounded by shadows, some bigger then others, some furrier then others. the edges of my vision were getting blurry and the world around me started to turn into a big shadow. Through the crazy mixed up speech that floated around me I heard one out of the senseless noise, and it was Jack.

"It'll be okay, okay? Don't fall asleep, focus on us--wait, Phil you'll hurt her--" I was suddenly lifted into the air by something large and furry and I finally felt the pain. It was like getting hit in the head, everything went so fast till I got hit by the pain, then everything went to black, like a light switch but with more.. blood.

 

 

The first thing that I felt when I came to was.. numb. I felt so numb. I couldn't move my limbs, I couldn't open my eyes, I couldn't groan in pain, but I didn't have to because I didn't feel any.

"Jack, she'll be fine. The medicine kicked in immediately and she's healing now. The medicine put her out cold." It was North, speaking in a tired voice.

"I know, and I know she's asleep, but... can I see her?" It was Jack's voice, I could tell immediately. Why did Jack want to see me so bad?

I couldn't hear North's reply but I heard the door close and a soft knock with wood to wood, which must be Jack's staff when he set it against the wall.

Like a tidal wave the conversation with North came crashing into my memory. Let Jack help you. I mentally furrowed my eyebrows, because I was incapable to do it physically. What did he mean by that? How can Jack help? Its my center, is Jack apart of it? Knowing North's center made me wonder that the other guardian's centers were. What was Jack's? I didn't know them long enough to make an educated guess.

"You're brave," Jack said after a moment. "Facing Pitch like that, it was downright crazy. But I guess you know him the best."

I wanted to move. I wanted to say something, but my tongue was so numb it was almost nonexistent.  I wanted to open up my eyes and see him. I wanted to ask questions.

"Please be okay.. okay? For me. I know we only met a few days ago but you.. you have this effect on me. It was like I died inside when you got cut by Pitch..I'd hate to know what would happen if.. if you weren't okay. So please, please be okay. "

I felt his hand reach under the blanket and find my hand. His skin was like ice against mine but.. I liked it. I feeling welled up in my chest as he softly gripped my hand. Suddenly, more like a twitch then anything else,  I squeezed his hand.


	6. Puzzle Inside A Riddle Inside An Enigma

I felt his hand jump in response as gasp came from him with a nervous laugh. "Ellie?" His voice sounded hopeful. With effort, I turned my head hopefully toward him. I couldn't tell left from right. I peeled my eyelids apart and my eyes were met by his. He was staring, the only light in the room was a thick candle on the table next to me that lit up his face around  dark shadows. I had to give out a low, slow groan as I started to feel the pain. It wasn't nearly as bad as I remembered it; it had a soft ache that seemed to fill my insides. I felt like I was going to puke. My stomach suddenly decided to turn in knots as I groaned louder.  I pinched my eyes closed and turned my face upwards. I heard Jack panic and someone else walk in. A somewhat familiar Australian accent spoke up to Jack.

"Jack! Relax mate, she'll be fine."

This? This was fine? I felt like I was going to puke up my guts... literally. I felt my throat close up as I started to cough.

"C'mon, sit her up before she makes herself go down under."

Moments later, Jack and Bunny carefully sat me up. Surprisingly, I felt no added pain. But, I was still a coughing mess. "Damn _cornus mas_ stuff. Alotta people have allergic reactions, nothing too serious. Crikey, Jack take a breather. She'll be fine in a few minutes, if she doesn't make her self puke."

"If you knew it would make her sick then why would you give it to her?!" Jack said, shocked. I felt his cold hand on my shoulder.

"Because if I didn't she'd be dead before she got the Infirmary! " The room went silent. I could hear my heartbeat, it was quickening. I almost died? I know I was just sliced up but.. I almost _died_?

"G-guy-ys?" I coughed out. The pains on my gut and stomach were starting to die down. Sitting up seemed to ease my aching organs. I still felt like I was going to lose my lunch though.

"Here, Shila." I opened my eyes to see Bunny reach over and grab the cup of water from the table and hand it to me. I gulped the down the feeling to cough long enough to get some water down. The coughing considerably lessened, which I was grateful of. I mumbled a thank you to him. Soon, after a few minutes of my coughing and the pain dwindling down to nothing, Bunny spoke again.

"Do you wanna see him?"

 

 

 

"Toothiana, please, I need to make sure she's okay," The King of Nightmares pleaded from his cell. He was sitting at the floor, the back of his head against the bars of the door. "Please let me get out of here and take her back to where she belongs, with me."

"Pitch, The Man In The Moon chose her to be a Guardian, she belongs here now. She can't go back with you unless she wants to." I said, desperate to reason with him. He, over the last few days, spilt every detail about him and his daughter hoping we'd let him out then, but here he was still in the cage. North was out checking on Ellie and I was here, in Pitches Lair while Pitch was locked in one of his own cages he kept my precious fairies last spring. I dont think I'll ever forgive him for that, for any of his actions. He was a dastardly man and his actions showed for it.

I did feel pity for him though. None of us knew he had a daughter before he was who he is now. None of us knew he had Ellie to care for like a daughter. From his stories, I could understand how getting her ripped away from him would turn him into this, as close as he could get to being a psychopath. One moment, he was extremely angry, shaking and banging on the cage while he yelled at me and North to let him out. The next, he was a pitiful puppy pleading to me and North. It was quite sad, but.. understandable.

I never thought I'd be looking at Pitch and thinking that I understand him. He was always so confusing, like a puzzle inside a riddle inside an enigma. Although, with my recent knowledge the waters cleared enough to know what he needed; he needed to get his memories. He didn't have all of them, and from what he told us he had only fragments, mostly of his daughter. I knew I had them I just had to get them for him.. then get him to accept them, which seemed impossible in his current state.

"Ah! Pitch, good news. She's alright and awake, and she agreed for you to see you-"

"Great! Just let me out of this abhorrent cage and-" Pitch had stood, his hands gripping the bars to pull himself up.

"Under conditions, Pitch." North  continued as walked up the stairway closest to the cage and me.

Pitch then stepped back into the cage somberly. "Of course." His gray and gold eyes flicked over me and North. "What are they?"

"First, no sand. No fighting. She doesn't want you picking a fight with us." Pitch nodded at his words. "Secondly, You're not allowed to apologise."

"But-"

"No buts either. Its what she said, Pitch." With a sigh he nodded again, looking down the length of his coat.

"Fine. Okay." He nodded once again before I looked up to North. His expression told me to let him out, so I fluttered up from the steps where I was sitting to unlock the door. Once the door opened he stepped out carefully, before darting into the shadows.

"Meet you two at the pole." he said softly. His voice wasn't mischievous,  it was honest.

"Damnit, Pitch-"

I grabbed Norths shoulder. "Just let him. He has his way of travel, we have ours. Come on, North."


	7. Deceitful Memories and Bad Stories About The Ones You Love

It was about fifteen minutes later when Tooth and North arrived without Dad. I didn't know what I was to expect, maybe he didn't want to see me. Maybe he thought I really didn't want to see him. But I did, I really did. I also wanted to get some things straight with him.

Tooth must have seem my concern when Dad wasn't with them. "Pitch is on his way, he didn't come with us in North's sleigh," She said to ease my mind. I guess it did, I was still nervous to see my Dad. Did I really want to see him? Confront his actions? I don't know if I could do it, but I had to. As if on cue Pitch stepped from the shadowy halls and into the room where everyone was. Slowly all the Guardians trickled out behind him.

He looked awful. His eyes were sunken in with dark circles underneath, like he hasn't been sleeping if he did. His eyes were dwindling down to a dusty grey instead of his normal dirty gold eyes I was used to. His body language- changed. He held his hands tightly together as if to stop them from acting on their own. He wasn't my Dad anymore. 

"You said you wanted to talk with me?" He said softly. His eyes darted to mine. His voice, just the same. The soft velvet that used to lull me to sleep when I had a bad dream, The voice he used when I left last year. So sad, a little stubborn too.

"Yeah, I uh, hi." I mumbled. My throat was still rough and sore from coughing. I took a gulp of the glass of water I still had.

At my words he rushed to my side, a gentle hand over my side where I was cut the most. I felt no main, but I flinched anyway. He yanked his hand back, and fell to just letting his hand hover over me. As he did, I noticed Tooth nudge everyone out to give us privacy.

"How are you? Are you okay? How much pain are you in? Darling I'm so sorr-" He sighed. "You know what I want to say."

"Dont worry, I'm okay. Bunny is an expert in healing, Without him I would've- yeah." He went quiet.

"I must thank him, then." He said after a moment, dryly. I knew he didn't want to, but he knew he had to.

"I.. I have a request." I said after a moment of deafening silence.

"What? I'd do anything." He asked hopefully.

"Make peace with the Guardians."

He gave me a look, Ilook that didnt hint to him agreeing to. "Of all the things--" He sighed. " I cant do that, Darling. Anything else. I can do anything else."

"Why not? They're all good people, I don't understand why you hate them so much."

"I have my reasons and I cant just change it. The Guardians, they like to stomp out anyone who isn't them from getting too big, too powerful. They're the real monsters, power hungry monsters." He spat bitterly.

'I'm going to be a Guardian," I blurted. He looked up to me suddenly, lips parted in shock.

"No, you cant. I wont let you." He said simply.

"Dad, its my choice-"

"I said no, and I mean no, now once you're better we'll go home and-"

I'm not a child anymore!" I exclaimed to him. "I'm eighteen, I'm legally an adult and my first decision is to do what I'm apparently destined to do, become a Guardian."

"Why? So you can wallow around in some workshop, finding ways to trick little kids into believing that there's good in the world? That nothing can harm their pretty little heads? What can you do to help? Set their houses on fire? Do you remember last time you lost control and that little boy-"

"Dad!" I screeched, a knot rising in my throat already. "Enough! Out. I want you out." I said to him sharply. I had enough, his words were making me want to burst in tears. I didn't want to think about the little boy. I didn't want to think about my fire. I wanted to get better and become a Guardian and not use my fire and do something to help at least somebody. I wanted to get him to accept the fact that I was going to be a Guardian someday and he couldn't go reeking havoc with his nightmares anymore. Why can't he just say okay and support this? I'm not his little girl anymore.

I heard him groan and I looked back up at him. "Fine, go play fairytale-make believe-happy endings with your new friends, you know where your real home is when you're done." He said sharply back, before turning away from me angrily. I groaned as he left.

And as he left, the Guardians came in again.

"What'd he say?"

"What'd you say?"

"Are you okay?"

"Are either of you okay?" They all had to speak at the same time.

I set my face in my hands. "Fine.. fine. I guess. Pissed, yes. Both of us, pissed." Use your words, Ellie. "He's pissed that I, at some point, will be a Guardian and I'm pissed because he's pissed. Hey, what did you guys do? I uh, don't mean to put the blame on you guys but he always said you guys did him wrong or something."

"Well," North said apprehensively. He looked to his fellow Guardians. Everyone but Jack looked from me to North, or among themselves. Jack was just staring to his friends for answers too.

Tooth finally decided to answer, by flying and hovering at my side. She set a feathery soft hand on mine before speaking. "He never told you.. who he is, I mean?" When I shook my head, not knowing what she meant by that, she continued. " He's the boogie man. He gave little kids nightmares and sent them running scared at the thought of him. Manny created us to even out the world, good and bad. We brought Hope-" She gestured to Bunny, "Wonder-" North, " Dreams-" Sandman, "-Fun-" then lastly to Jack. "And me, Memories. We were meant to be equal to Pitch, because the balance needs to be equal."

"But ever sense the Dark Ages He's been trying to find new ways to override us and bring back the fear in the world." Bunny concluded.

I looked down to my hand, covered by Tooth's. It was sympathetic, like she was trying to calm me or make me feel better about the news. But it wasn't really news, I guess.

"Last year, when he was going on about Nightmare Sand and going to the surface, was that what he was doing? Reeking havoc for you guys to clean up?"

"Yes, I believe so." It was Tooth's turn to answer apprehensively.

"Where were you during all that anyway?" Jack asked, genuinely curious. " I was in Pitches lair, and I never knew you were there."

"I... wasn't. He had told me his plan and wanted me to help but I denied. We fought and I left, but came back a few days later. I mean.. he's my Dad, he needs me."

North nodded. "It seems just like Pitch to use his own daughter for his own problems," He said softly. " What did he do when you came back?"

I gulped a few times, like I had to keep the words in my throat."The hole was covered. I broke through and found him surrounded by Nightmares, I had to fight my way to him. To be honest, he was a mess. The nightmares really got to him." I closed my eyes again. I didn't want to talk about it. I really hated seeing him like that.

"Its alright, we wont pester anymore. Get some rest okay?" I opened my eyes and glanced up at Tooth's words to see her giving North and Jack stern looks before looking back at me. She really was like a mother to these guys.

"Yeah, you should be up and moving by tomorrow, Shila. Then we'll sort this all out." I nodded at Bunny as he spoke. As for me, I think I was done talking. I felt a dryness in the back of my throat that I knew the water wouldn't heal. They all left to let me rest, Tooth the last one out. She gave me a soft smile, hoping to lighten my mood. It did help, She was a pocket full of sunshine, bubbly and bright. I returned it before she fluttered out and closed the door behind her.

I sat my now empty cup at my side table and laid down. I carefully turned to my side, the movement sending the slow throbbing pain up and down my cut. I took a deep breath and covered my face with the blanket.

What was I going to do?

I really didn't know. I basically screwed it up big time with Dad. How could I go home after this? Knowing truthfully who he was? The title Bogeyman seemed familiar, but so foreign at the same time. Would it even be home anymore? I sighed, feeling the pain and dryness in my throat. I let it out-- a short barking sob. I didn't want to loose him. But he had kept me in the dark all these years. He wanted to drag me into his sick little plan. The feeling that I had to puke came back again, but it was a different gag; like a dry heave in the ocean, it was unfamiliar feeling that shouldn't be possible. I was only one person, how could I handle this? I knew the guardians were on my side, even in the short days I've known them. But still, I felt alone. Like as if a part of me left with him, he was my only family and I just let it go. But he didn't try keeping us together either with his deceitfulness. It only made it worse. Made the hollow hole inside me worse.


	8. I Think You're Cute, Girl On Fire

I woke up the next morning, knowing my eyes had to be red and sunken in. My throat felt raw and my limbs felt numb.

I sat up, looking around the room. a window I didn't notice before was on the wall to my left, shining a diamond pattern of colors over my sheets. Red sheets- pretty much fitting the rest of the theme of The Pole. The side table to the left had my cup on it, along with a bowl of dried herbs I didn't want to think on how Bunny got them into my system in time to save me. I didn't want to think of the incident at all. Instead, I pulled the blanket off me and stupidly jumped up to stand like I normally would. Instead of walking to the door, I had to fall back to a sitting position on the bed. With my head now throbbing from the sudden rush of oxygen, I stood more carefully and softly padded over to the door. Before I got there, I caught myself in the reflection of one of the floor-to-ceiling cabinets and saw I was wearing a very familiar hoodie, it was Jacks. Just more worn out and faded just a bit. Not to mention that it was pretty big on me. My fingers only poked out from the bottom of the sleeves and the hem of the hoodie was borderline past my butt. At least I still had my jeans, a worn black pair of skinnies.

Other then that I felt pretty normal, and looked it too besides my face being pretty pale and my eyes looking dark and sunken in from crying. I hated knowing that I caved and cried last night... I always knew crying was a sign of weakness. You only cry when you're vulnerable, right? At least I held it in when I was in front of My dad and the Guardians. Weakness is one thing I'd hate to show.

Shaking my head, I padded out the door and down the hallway. I Found myself at the main floor, where most of the toy building was happening. I walked through the bustling tables and studding the toys. Soon I made it to the elevator and took a short ride up to the Globe room, top floor. I didn't really mind wandering around by myself. Exploring was always better when you didn't have a guide to tell you what to look at or where to go, without made it an adventure.

So instead of trying to find someone to cater me around, I wandered through the floors and halls, telling the yetis that I liked their work which earned me happy grunts from them. Even the elves were trying to stay out of my way. One, who seemed to have dipped itself in a sparkly rainbow at some point, decided to follow me while it held its tongue out its mouth, also all sparkly and rainbow-y. I didn't mind, he was kinda cute.

It was too soon when I ran face first into Bunny. He seemed out of breath a bit, like he just got here. He had unexpectedly knocked me backwards on accident, and to make up his paw had reached out and snatched my arm to help me stand straight again before I fell.

"Hey, you're up. How do yeh feel?"

"Good, better now I'm walking around," I said honestly. He smiled.

"Good. Well I bet you want to go sort things out with Pitch-"

“No! No, he uh, I think I'll let him blow his steam and calm down, give him a few days."

He nodded, then shrugged and gestured me to follow him. "Alright. Well in the meantime you have to stick with me."

"Why?" I asked, walking next to him as he made his way to the elevator.

"He pointed his thumb at himself. "Doctor’s orders, You should stick with one of us, at least. It's only me and North here at the Pole at the moment, and North is busy doing who knows what. Its just to keep an eye on you, make sure you're really all right. Sheila, you lost a lot of blood and the Herbal medicine's side effects aren't helping that very much. We just don't want yeh fainting on us or something, yeh know?

We had made our way to the Sleigh room, Where the ground was cold and solid dirt. I nodded, not knowing if Bunny saw me or not. None the less he tapped his large foot on the dirt and a hole had erupted below it. inside, were tunnels.

Bunny must had seen my hesitant look. " Don't worry, they're a hell of a lot shorter than you think. Just follow the way I'm going and you'll be fine."

"Where are we going?" I asked.

He gave me a boastful laugh. "Were going to My Warren."

* * *

 

Minutes later of tracking the dirt tunnels we came up a soft slope to a grassy field that were boxed by what looked like ancient stone. Onto of these sloping walls (at least one ones I saw ) were evergreen trees. other than that, a thick fog shrouded anything else I could see. What seemed like patches of dirt ceiling peeked through that fog that was thin enough. Around me, were things like flowers and other foliage. Pathways seemed to form the longer I took in my surroundings. Pulling out of my curiosity, Bunny had announced that this was his Warren, I smiled softly, and followed him. The hill dipped down to a colorful river or stream. Little eggs-- that were walking-- jumped into the stream continuously. Bunny lead me farther, past smaller trails that the now sparkly eggs ran down, getting sprayed with more color. I watched them fall down the edge of the one hill and into spiral vines that when they safely landed below. They now had designs that clashed against their multicolored backgrounds.

That's where I found Bunny, already plucking dried eggs and giving them the finishing touches before letting them run off down to more tails, which now led them to archways, and all lot of them. "Here, go ahead and paint whatever. As long as it's Easter themed." He said, handing me a brush like his. I carefully plucked a egg that looked more greenish then the others around it and carried it to where Bunny was, a piece of soft grass on the edge of the river of eggs. I sat by him, painting dark lines and swirls on them. Different patterns, shapes, sizes, whatever to keep things different. I watched Bunny as he did his. He was a lot faster and more of a steady hand than me. I could tell he took pride in his work, even how unmanly it was. I admired that about him.

Suddenly my mind was on a different subject. "Bunny?" I said quietly. It was so tranquil and relaxing in his Warren, I didn't want to disturb that. He hummed in reply. I watched him carefully paint a complicated design on the egg he was holding-- something tribal-- then set it down so it could run off to to the tunnels. He then looked to me, eyes interested in what I had to say.

"Did.. my dad say or do anything when he left? He had to have stormed past you guys." I asked sheepishly.

He shrugged. " Don't worry about it, Sheila. He brushed by us like we were ugly statues, nothing that we didn't expect."

I was quiet for a moment before I replied. "He told me he wanted to thank you."

I wasn't surprised when he scoffed. 'Did he, now?" I rolled my eyes before nodding.

"You saved me, Bunny. He- at least for a moment- was thinking of paying you a compliment because of you. I guess I have to instead." I looked back to my egg, sloppy and unimaginative compared to Bunny's. I set it down to run on its merry way.

"And you're meaning that.."

I looked back to him. "I'll thank you for him. so.. Thank you." I gave him a smile.

He smiled back, before changing his brushes hand to ruffle my hair. I couldn't help but to laugh. "Aw, Thanks heaps, Ellie. I bet he would have tried his best to sound like he meant it."

"Hey! Looks like you two are having fun." I heard a familiar voice come from on top the hill where me and Bunny came down. Jack, holding the hand of a little girl in fairy wings. The second she saw Bunny she started jumping like she was hopping and chanting his name happily, giggling as she did so. I looked to Bunny and saw him quickly light up.

"Ah! My little ankle-biter!" She had escaped from Jack's hand and ran down the hill, somehow making it through the eggs without harming one. She threw herself into his furry chest and hugged him, and he carefully hugged back, being careful of her. "What's she doin' here, Mate?" He asked Jack. I watched him walk towards us in mid air like he was on an invisible platform.

"I'm... babysitting." He answered with a smile. I didn't know if he was lying or not, but his smirk told me that The little girl couldn't stay long. "Okay, fine, Her moms across the street flirting with some new neighbor, and left Jamie in charge of watching her for a bit." Bunny gave him a look I couldn't explain. "Hey, and she would still be there playing with Jamie if she didn't see me and almost demand seeing you," He laughed. Bunny ended up picking the little girl up in his paws for a moment to look at her straight.

"Were you asking for me, you littlie? Well come on, I'll show you what I got made for this year," She giggled at his words. I was pretty sure she barely understood him, but admired him anyway. He had then set her down and leaned over so she could clamor onto his shoulders. He then carried her through the eggs down to where the separated into smaller trails.

I watched them disappear down the hill before Jack made me aware of his presence. He had came down from his invisible platform and sat next to me. "I must say, you look rather.. hmm whats the word-"

"Don't you dare," I laughed. the next adjective out of his mouth would be his last if he decided to continue making fun of me in his hoodie.  
“-Adorable." He had finished anyway, and it wasn't the word I thought he'd use.

"I.. thank you." I stuttered, surprised. I felt my cheeks heat up at his smirk.

"Anytime," He said cheekily. " I think you ruined it, though." He then reached out and tugged on one of the sleeves. The frost that coated it was now melted, making the sleeve ends and, now that I have noticed, the collar cold and wet.

I laughed a bit. "Sorry," I apologized.

He waved away my apologies. "No, you pull it off, Firegirl."

"Oh, Firegirl? That's the best you could come up with?" I laughed, and he joined in.

"Alright, what would you like to have as a Nickname?"He asked when we both calmed down a bit.

"Hmm, I dunno, maybe just Ellie?" I smiled at him.

"I don't think you know what a nickname is," He laughed again. I ended up rolling my eyes.

"No, it is a nickname, Smart-ass." I laughed with him. He smiled and looked at me curiously.

"Then what is your full name?" He asked, honestly curious.

"Oh no, I'm not telling you that."

"Aw, why not?" He whined.

"I don't like my full name, simple as that."

"Why not?" He continued to ask.

"Because- no, never mind. The more hints I give you, the quicker you'll get it, and I don't want that."

He laughed."Aw, it cant be that bad," He pestered. I rolled my eyes again, shaking my head. Before I could push his attempts at learning my name away, Bunny had came back, interrupting us.

"Alright you two, Ankle biter here is falling asleep. She needs to get home." Bunny had a drowsy Sophie hanging onto his paw as they walked up to us. Jack nodded and jumped up to take her back.

"Hey Ellie, you should come meet Jamie!" Jack offered, as he picked up Sophie. She crawled into his arms sleepily. I could tell it wasn't the first time she's fallen asleep on Jack, or Bunny. I smiled at her, she was so precious.

"I dunno, Mate, are you sure-" Bunny asked apprehensively.

"Of course! Jamie believes in just about everything, I'm sure he'll see her."

I interjected. 'Wait, see me?"

Jack smiled sheepishly. 'Yeah, but don't worry. I'm 110% sure he'll believe in you like the rest of us."  
I retreated to just nodding. I stood as Bunny gave me an unsure look. Now thinking about it, did Sophie see me? I thought she was ignoring me because of her obvious love for Bunny.

"Well okay, I'd love to meet him." I agreed after a moment. Even after years of my dad going on about it, I never quite understood the fundamentals of being believed in, or being seen. Quite frankly, I like to hide and not be seen. You know, admire others from afar.

Wait, that's basically a lighter explanation of a stalker.

Hey North, I found my center! I'm Ellie 'Stalker' Pitchiner, at your service.


	9. Plot Twists and Fights To The Death

After saying goodbye to Bunny (He had to get back to his eggs anyway) Jack led me out the way he came. I had to use some of my fire to grind out of the tunnels with him, but quickly we had made it to the surface. Snow still covered the ground, only patches of where small footprints had been where grass poked through.

'C'mon, we should get her back." Jack said, naturally floating away, towards the direction of the houses. I followed, but instead of getting some air like he was kept pace by running. He wasn't going too fast anyway, with a sleeping girl in his arms. Soon, we made it to one house in particular, a red faced house with snow practically dripping off the roof. Jack must have gave the house a extra layer then the others.

From here, I could hear kids playing. Yelling, screaming, thumps like something wet against a fence, you'd think someone was getting murdered back there. Not dwelling on the idea of dead children (another reason why I really shouldn't be a Guardian)  I followed Jack into the house by flying up to the window, a large one that was open to a girls bedroom. I sat myself at the windowsill and watch jack try to be careful of setting her in bed-- and failing. It was me who jumped and grabbed her before she hit the ground. Not like it was a bad fall, it was about a foot and she was going to land on some stuffed animal anyway. I set her in bed and grabbed the comforter from the floor and covered her. Jack had saved the fluffy (sheep? Bear?) from the hardwood floors and let Sophie lazily take it. She was asleep for a nap in seconds. She was truly precious.

I looked up from her to see Jack softly smiling at me. Downstairs, the door clicked open, then closed. "Let's go tell Jamie she's home before his Mom asks," He mumbles quietly, and I nod. I follow him out the window again and around the house and spacious back yard. A group of kids were playing snow forts, 2 on 2. Me and Jack came down, both teams pausing to exclaim in his presence.

"Jack!" One boy said smiling, running from his hiding place over to where we landed. He ran right through me-- quite literally. I felt a shiver run down my back, a ping of pain in my stomach, more directed towards my healing cut. Instinctively I grabbed at my stomach carefully. I looked over to Jack, who  had bent down to be at the boys level to return the hug. He looked over his shoulder and saw me, he gave me a look full of sorry.

"Hey Jamie! I brought someone with me to introduce to you guys," He said as Jamie pulled away happily. Now, all four kids had left  their forts to surround Jack. I jumped out of the way, not wanting to experience what I had with Jamie again.

"Who?" One dark haired boy asked Jack.

"She's a new Guardian, Ellie Pitchiner." He explained to them. Jamie pulled a confused face.

"Why cant we see her?" He asked.

"Well, I believe in Ellie," Another boy said, his glasses too big for his face. He pushed them up as he spoke. Everyone else followed him by repeating the same.

Jack suddenly pulled me around the group of boys who surrounded him, as the first dark haired boy spoke again. "What does she do?" He asked. "Like how you make snow and stuff."

He thought for a moment. "She has an uncanny ability of scaring me with her fire," He chuckled. I rolled my eyes.

"You're scared of me, Frosty?" I smiled cheekily. He laughed, and the boys looked at him in confusion.

"She's uh, pretty funny too," He continued, smirking.

"Jamie- Boys- who's this?" A voice came from the doorway to the house. a woman stood, her brown hair wrapped in a bun. She held her hands at her hips, and she looked at the boys and who I assumed Jack. I looked to him and he had a surprised look on his face. Looking back to her, She continued. "You must be the babysitter, you're pretty quick. Did you drive? I didn't see your car."

I stood still. She couldn't be talking to me. "Oh dear, your jacket is drenched. Did the boys get you?" She started walking towards us. "Come inside, boys you too, I'll make snacks, and we'll throw it in the dryer. You don't want Jack Frost nipping at your nose in this weather, you'll catch a cold."

Jamie had snorted at her comment. Him and the other boys laughed. Jack just kept his eyes on me. She had reached us and softly took my arm and led me to the door, and I had to follow. How does she see me? I looked back to see the boys and Jack follow us to the door and inside. Once there, She motioned for me to take off the hoodie. "Alright, hand it over rand I'll dry it before I go," She said, motherly.

I shook my head and worked up the voice to speak. "No, its alright, I'm basically immune to the cold." Lie. Kind of. "I never get sick, Mrs..?"

"Its Miss, and you can call me Amelia. Alright, but you'll be wet for the rest of the day." I shrugged, I hadn't noticed it since Jack pointed it out, I think I'll be fine.

She walked to the kitchen and pulled out some cracker snack, enough for the lot of the boys. I carefully followed, leaning on the counter across from her. Behind me, Jack paused.

"How does she see you?" He asked quietly.

"I don't know," I mumbled back.

"You don't know what?" Amelia turned to me, setting a bowl of cheesy crackers in front of me too. I pretended to pick at them.

"I-uh- Jamie asked a question I didn't know," I covered. She looked down to Jamie, who had a mouthful of the crackers.

"What was the question, Hun?" She asked, putting the box of Cheese-its back where she got it from.

Jamie looked up at him mom. "Hm?" he said through his mouthful.

She laughed a little at him. "Your question," She smiled. He gulped down the Cheese-its.

"uh, can.. I have more cheese its?" He said, covering for me. He barely knows I exist and he would cover for me. Good boy.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, "Sorry Hun, dinners in a little bit, you don't want to spoil it, do you?"

He shook his head and went back to the Cheese-its he still had. We were all quiet for a moment.

"Alright, dear, I should get ready. I'm so sorry for the last minute notice, oh what was your name again?"

"Uh, Ellie." I stuttered.

"Right, Ellie. Thank you so much," She said before disappearing upstairs. Once she was out of earshot, I turned to Jack.

"How-"

"If I know how why would I have asked you?" he replied before I could get my whole question out. Come on Frosty, four words.

"I-I don't know." I stuttered. I thought for a moment.

We bounced ideas off each other. Nothing fit the bill, making it quite the mystery. Too soon, Amelia came downstairs in something a little more dressy. She wore a nice pair of dress pants and a matching blouse, and she had let her hair down.

"How do I look?" She asked, looking between me and the boys. They all complimented her and I nodded in agreement.

"Thanks, boys."She said as the doorbell rang. "Well, I'll be off. Jamie, Sophs' upstairs for her nap, right?"

He nodded, returning to the last pit of his crackers. "Good. She'll be up in a little bit, I'm guessing. By then you can order pizza for everyone." She dug in her bag and handed me a small stack of bills, I'm guessing enough to by pizza. I  folded them neatly and put them in my back pocket, safer then in my hand. "Alright, I won't be gone for too long. Jamie, be good. No sleepovers tonight, boys." She pecked Jamie on the head and walked to the door and opened it. A man stood there patiently waiting, smiling when he saw her. He was dressed well too, matching her. He then took her arm and led her out the door as she closed it. aw, how cute.

"Ellie, can we go outside for a while longer?" Jamie suddenly asked after his mother and her date disappeared. He looked in my direction, he still didn't see me. I looked to Jack.

"Yeah, let’s go," He said for me. They all left their now empty bowls and stampeded towards the door. Once outside, they took their positions behind the forts. We followed, closing the sliding door after us. As we walked out from under the porch it started to lightly snow.

"Jaack," I whined as the little specks of ice floated down onto us and the boys.

"What?" He laughed, pulling his hands from his pockets like he didn't do anything. I rolled my eyes. The now was putting another fresh layer of snow over the first, giving the boys plenty to use as ammo.

"The snow is beautiful," I said after a moment. I held out my hand and little whitish blue specks fell down onto my bare skin. Of course, they melted instantly.

"Its for you," He said quietly. I looked at him. He looked at me between his fringe. I couldn't help but to smile.

"And how is it for me, Frosty?" I asked.

"You'll see... hopefully." He smiled back.

We fell into a silence, watching Jamie and his friends play snow forts. I kept my eye on Jamie as he ran for another wall they had set up, closer to their enemies side. I watched as glowing blue sparkles lit up his cheeks before fading away. A bubble of laughter came from him as his eyes scanned the yard, before falling on me.

"Hey Jack, is that Ellie?" I looked over to see the dark haired boy turn to me too as he spoke.

"You guys see her?" He asked, surprised. They all nodded.

I turned to Jack. "What was in that snow?" I asked, smiling.

He shrugged. "Nothing much, just some fun," He replied. I rolled my eyes.

'Jack and Ell-ie, sitting in a tree, F-L-I-R-T-I-N-G," Sang Jamie jokingly, and the rest of the boys laughed and joined in. I blushed.

"Jaamie," It was Jacks turn to whine. I laughed, his expression was priceless. He was blushing too, but not nearly as much as I was. I had to admit, he was cute when he blushed.

"Whaaat?" He laughed back, clearly just having some fun.

I rolled my eyes as I held back a bubble of laughter.

Jack ended up signing jokingly, a smile still already on his cheeks. "I don't think you want to kid with me, Jamie. I am the almighty--"

"King of White Stuff," I teased, interrupting him. The boys laughed at my comment.

Jack then turned to me. "Is that so, Girl on fire?" He smirked.

"Perfectly so," I replied smiling.

"I think this calls for a fight to the death then," He said, suddenly acting serious. I stifled my laughter.

"Then let it begin, Frosty." I exclaimed, before running out into the snow and scooping up a handful of snow. Before I could throw it Jack already had one aimed for my head that I quickly dodged. I patted the snow into a ball and threw it at him, as it glanced off his shoulder. He let out a loud 'No!" Before returning the attack. I expertly rolled behind one of the snow forts, with Jamie. We exchanged nods before we both padded a few balls before tossing them at Jack. By now, the two other boys had sided with him. Traitors. Now, it was total war against the 'Almighty' King, and I wasn't going to lose.


	10. Beauty In The Best Of Memories

After Jamie's friends had to go home, Jack and I had to deal with ordering pizza and waking Sophie so they both could eat. Afterwards, the three of them were in Jamie's room, Sophie with a stuffed toy fairy and Jamie with his glow in the dark robot. They were playing while I was downstairs.

"Thank you so much for babysitting, I hope they didn't give you any trouble, " They're mother cooed, coming home after her date. I shook my head.

"No, they were perfect. It was no trouble." I reassured her. She nods.

"Alright. Well Sweetie, how much do I owe you?" She had sat her purse on the counter and started sorting through it, looking for her wallet.

"O-owe? No, it's fine! Uh, first time its free if charge?" I quickly declined the small number of bills she had just pulled out. With a puzzled look, set her hand on top the purse.

"Are you sure? I think you deserve a tip, for coming last minute and watching over them all evening."

"I'm sure." I kept my reply short. Really, it was bad enough that I got myself into this. At least the real sitter never showed, now THAT would be trouble.

"Hmm. Well alright, you are a strange girl. Thank you, anyway, you're a real lifesaver." I nodded at her and gave her a smile.

"It was no trouble." That's it, Ellie. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Like a robot.

* * *

After more thank yous and pushing complements, she relieved me of babysitting and said I could go home. Home.. Oh I wish I could go back. Back to how things were before I had that dream. Things have been spiraling up and down since. You know, I wouldn't mind being a Guardian if I wasn't a threat. None of the guardians seem to understand how much of a danger I could be. If I.. if I hurt someone, anyone again I would never forgive myself. I never forgave myself the first time.. I don't think I'll ever be able to.

"Hey Ellie, you alright?" I felt a cool hand on my shoulder. Even through a layer of clothes I could still feel his icy skin. He brought me out of my thoughts and I looked up to him. I leaned into the counter in mid-thought not realizing it.

"Yeah, fine." I reassured, adding a little smile for added measure.

"Alright then. Well come on, I want to show you something before we miss it, " his eyes sparked with sudden excitement. Following his lead he led me outside. I had no choice but to use a bit of my fire to glide up with him to the roof.  We sat where both sides of the house met and looked up at the sky. The sun had only fully set a few minutes ago and darkness filled the landscape around us. Up in the sky, stars shone through the dark, and a big pale orb that was the moon sat staring back at us.

"You know, I wouldn't mind becoming a Guardian." I blurted into the cool, silent air around us.

"Then why don't you?" He asked thoughtfully.

"I.. Well.." I pulled my knees my my chest.

"You can tell me. It can be a secret between us two, if that makes you feel better."

I rolled my eyes lightly at him."It’s less that I want to keep it a secret and more that I just don't want to talk about it. Thanks for your offer, it’s the thought that counts really."

It took him a moment before he replied. "Oh." He pulled his lanky legs up closer to him , but not nearly as close as I had pulled my legs to myself. Setting his elbows on his knees, he continued. "If you don't feel comfortable talking about it we don't have to. You can tell me or any of the guardians when you're ready to, were all here for you."

I gave him a soft smile, then set my chin on my knees. the sun had fully set now, leaving us in the chilly air. I admit, I was cold. By now, Jack's hoodie had dried mostly but our snowball fight-- war had me damp again.

Suddenly an arm was around my shoulders. Surprised, I tilted my head to Jack, the culprit. He was closer than I'd thought, but I didn't dwell on the fact that our noses were almost touching, I didn't have a choice. "Look," He whispered, looking from my eyes to my other side. I followed his eyes and saw the familiar strings of gold weave up and around buildings and off in different directions to deliver dreams. Not to far away was a stubby, gold man who had to be Sandy, who was perched on his cloud, sending strings wherever they were needed.

Soon, a gold thread made its way to us. Just in arms reach, it weaved past and down and around I to what could only be Jamie or Sophie's window. I watched it, sending my hand out to touch the thread. Waiting for Jack to pull me back from it but instead, his other arm (he notably still had an arm around me) reached out too.

My fingers tangles with the golden thread and it weaved itself around my fingers before it mimicked fire and crawled up my arm. It came up to my shoulder and then flew off to spiral around us, now creating some flying creature, a phoenix.

"Cool huh?" I heard Jack mumble, pulling me back into reality.

"Its.. Beautiful, " I smiled. I now understood why Jack was so eager and happy to show me. It really was, and it reminded me of the sand my dad wielded.

I felt the physical pause before Jack replied. "You're beautiful," He said, now suddenly conscious of his arm around me. He carefully pulled me closer, unsure if I'd approve of the action. I let him though, because I was too busy hiding my blush with my hands.

"You flatter me too much," I made out. "First I'm cute now I'm beautiful?"

Now, I felt him chuckle. I was pulled onto his side, and honestly, I didn't mind. I was comfortable. he was comfortable. He was undoubtedly sweet. Sweet and caring of me, and he had no reason to.

"Ellie, you deserve it. Because well, you are." He smiled. I did too, because what else was I to do?

A long silence fell onto is. We watched the threads of gold fly across the dark sky till it began to fade. I felt my eyes involuntarily pull up to the glowing moon.

_"What are you doing?"_

Suddenly, I was somewhere else. Jacks cool embrace was gone and I was left feeling alone. In front of me, was a tall shadowy man and a little girl, can't be older than four or five. The three of us were standing in an older house, a child's playroom in fact. The little girl bounced in her curls and tried to put her elbows on the window sill. Outside, I saw the threads of gold.

 _"I wanna see the pretty strings again, Mr Bogey."_ The little girl smiled, going onto her tippy-toes to see out the window. I watched the shadow reach out and wrap the girl, pulling her off the floor. A black box materialized underneath her, and he set her down again so she could look out the window properly. "What are they?" She asked curiously.

The shadow put a hand on her shoulder and looked out the window too. The window was arched, large doors swung out into the cold night air. He spoke quietly, his knowledge for her to hear only.

_"Dreams, my dear. The strains send all the dreams to everyone in the world."_

I felt my throat close in on itself. I'd know that voice anywhere.

 _"Like yours, Mr Bogey?"_ The little girl asked.

I heard dad sigh. _"Similar, yes."_ I walked around them and looked at their faces. the little girl had breathtaking ice blue eyes, and black hair to contrast. they surrounded her pudgy face with wide curls. Even with her rosy cheeks, why did she look so familiar? Her eyes glowed was she stared off into the golden strings.

 _"They're so pretty, "_ She whispered to Dad.

 _"They are. But not as much as you, My Little Nightmare,"_ He said, suddenly tickling at her sides. She burst into a fit of laughter, her bubbly giggles bouncing off the walls of the small room. Within her laughter, I heard a noise, like a whisper, almost like the sound of the wind.


	11. Chapter 11

I was suddenly pulled from whatever the hell that was to reality. Cold arms were around me, holding me to a cold body. Jack. The whistling wind was louder, and I realized we were zooming off who knows where, who knows how high. I grasped at Jack like my life depended on it, which it possibly did... not that I doubted Jacks flying skills.

"Ellie!" He exclaimed in my ear. still, I barely heard him over the wind. Maybe It was because I was too focused on keeping my arms firmly wrapped around his shoulders. I buried my face in his shoulder, hopefully to lessen the twisting in my gut. Thankfully, I felt us stop moving. he was now almost hovering in the air, the wind still loud as it whistled past us.

"Wha.. What.." I stuttered into his shoulder. Weather he heard me or not, I felt him pull me closer.

"I need to get you to Bunny-" He yelled, before I cut him off.

"No! No, just.. get me out of the air before I puke," I called over him. Complying, we descended to the snowy forest below us.  Once he set my feet back in solid ground he pulled me away from his shoulder to look me in the eyes.

"Are you okay?" His voice was urgent and stressed. I nodded just as urgently, hopefully to ease his mind. Physically, I was okay. Mentally, I was probably going insane. But he didn't need to know about that.

"What happened?" His voice was now thankfully more relaxed. but, I felt that he forced his words for me.

"I dont know. I was suddenly somewhere else and my dad was there talking to-" My breath hitched as the realization hit me. "I think he was talking to me.. when I was younger, as young as Sophie." I stuttered out. He furrowed his eyebrows.

"You're.. seeing memories?" He questioned curiously.

I didn't really know how to reply. Was I really seeing memories? Why? How? I gulped down the forming knot in my throat. Seeing me and my dad together like that... where did it go? We were ruined, and there was no way for me to fix it. memories of when I was young flooded into my brain, never younger than about six. I remember the day when I found that I wielded fire, I was only 8. How excited he was, the image making the knot in my throat grow.

"Maybe Tooth?" Jack's voice pulled me from my thoughts.

To be honest, I don't think I could talk. So, I nodded. I needed to know why and how this was happening, because I'm not sure I like it. Tooth had to be our best answer.

While I was lost in my thoughts again I heard Jack's voice soften. "I'm gonna pick you up okay?" I nodded dumbly again and let him pick up my legs, with one arm holding my back. I instinctively wrapped my arms around his neck, burying my face into it. I never liked heights, the sudden realization of that came only a few moments before. Now, I kept my eyes closed and covered by jack's hoodie and my arms.

Thankfully sooner than I thought we flew into Tooth's Palace. Palace, being the only word to describe it. I had uncovered my eyes to see the big, floating towers with roofs like budding flowers. Everything was glassed in gold, a color that complemented the hummingbird of a woman. The glossy tiles that covered any walkable surface seemed to add the color and theme of the place.

I didn't have too long to bask in the beauty of the place when Jack carried me to the larger of all the platforms where Fairies were zooming through to get to what I'm guessing is where they store the teeth. One certain Fairy paused from its route and zoomed toward Jack while he set me on my feet. I awkwardly let go of his neck and stood. I was more aware of my surroundings than I was earlier, which I was thankful for. I watched Baby Tooth flutter around Jack before burrowing herself in his pocket and coming out the other side happily. Jack let her do her little ritual, like it wasn't anything new.

"Hey Baby Tooth! Wheres Tooth?" He asked the fairy.  I watched as the eyes of the little hummingbird rolled up as if the answer was on the ceiling, before shrugging. With a little squeak she suddenly remembered and pointed down a thin hall between the rows of teeth cases. Jack mumbled as thank you as he went to go look for Tooth. Baby Tooth found herself sitting on Jack's shoulder, holding onto his hood for support.  I followed in suit, watching over being Jack for the fluttering fairy.

Soon, we found her in some distant hallway. these Teeth cases seemed to be duller, maybe older than the first ones I saw. The faces painted on  the fronts looked hand painted, made out of geometric shapes of color. "Tooth?" Jack called to her. she was fluttering around anxiously, looking for a certain case. She jumped, looking at me and Jack surprised before smiling.

"What are you two doing here?" She asked, airily.

"I'm seeing memories," I blurted suddenly. My voice was still quiet but they stood out in the air like stains on a page. Tooth furrowed her eyebrows and stared at me.

"Seeing memories, I don't understand- that's impossible unless you have your memories," She said surely.

"Maybe if she sees her memories, I mean her memories memories, maybe that'll help," Jack offered. Instead of perking up like I expected she shyly fiddles with her feathers.

"See Jack, me and the fairies are still organizing all the cases back to where they belong from when Pitch took them." She fluttered by us a and led us further down the hall. The rows of teeth cases started to get thinner and less organized. Thinking about it, there were quite a few empty spaces earlier. "Her memories could be anywhere at the moment. I'm sorry, Ellie."

I shook my head. "It's alright. I don't need them right now, as far as I know."

"I'm still sorry. Were so backed up, I let some fairies rest after the returning from Pitch and most of the fairies are collecting teeth, not many had the chance to help me organize."

"I'm guessing that's what you were doing when we came in?" Jack guessed.

She slowly nodded, like she wasn't sure. "Well looking for a certain one, really. Someone needs to remember their memories, so I was trying to get find them." Me and jack nodded before telling her that well leave her to that.

Jack walked in mid air as I followed on the largest platform. "What now, Frosty?" I asked. He paused and looked down to me.

"I'm not sure. Maybe we should let Bunny know, maybe he might know why."

* * *

 

Tooth watched them walk off before Ellie unwillingly climbed on Jack's back before they flew off to who knows where. The moment they were out of sight, she zoomed down the the one shelf she was at before. She searched through the faces and put a few away, more to get them out of the way then to put them in their place. She dug through the gold cases, till she pulled out who she was looking for.

_Kozmotis Pitchiner._


	12. Heart To Heart and A Feathery Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pitch's past is in reference to this: http://fanartdrawer.tumblr.com/post/68020725290/so-this-is-my-really-late-submission-for . The timelines are a little screwy, but lets just say before Jack was who he was before he fell in the lake, a life before that, he was who he is in the comic.

Tooth grasped the vial for a moment. Was she sure that it was a good idea? Pitch was a loose cannon at times, going into his lair uninvited might be a death wish. But, it's not like she could call. She sighed, setting the case in her feathery lap. It wouldn't hurt to try, She thought. She could even just leave the vial with a note.

She picked the vial up from her lap and left the hallways of teeth and fluttered over the edge down to her personal office. Really, she didn't need one. There was no paperwork in trading teeth for coins. Setting down the vial she scribbled a note to him in her curvy letters before folding the soft paper carefully. The note was short, simple, and made her feel less reluctant to give it to him. She then picked the vial up again and went off to find Pitch.

Not ten minutes later Tooth arrived at the hole down to Pitch's Lair. She let her small feet waver down to the icy snow before floating up again. She had held Pitches vial close to her chest the entire fly there, and her arms felt tired and stiff from the pose. Still, she held it tightly to her. She took a deep breath, and floated down the hole and let her feet touch the dark rock of his Lair. Besides the open area where his cages were, the pathways were too cramped to fly properly. She carefully padded out to the open area, letting her eyes skim over the endless staircases and doors and archways. She couldn't see him, and that's definitely not a good thing. She drew a shaky breath and continued. Where was her confidence from last year? When she wanted to and did come right up to the man of nightmares and knock out a tooth? She had to remember, she was doing this for his own good. He needed this or he might never let Ellie grow into who she's meant to be.

A muffled sob rang down throughout the stairways to her. She jumped, hovering in the air now. She followed the echo up to a platform she didn't see before. A glow came from above it, one she couldn't place its source. She silently left the confines of the hallway and flew up to the platform, peeking over the edge.

She found Pitch. He was kneeling down in front of the glowing light, with his face in his hands. She moved to the left to see his face. He wasn't crying. His body language said he was angry as something. He had his grey eyes pinched closed and his teeth bared like he was holding back another sob.

This was a moment when Tooth pitied him. For a moment she saw not a monster, but a man. He missed Ellie terribly, it was only thing obvious about his actions, and his words.

"Why do you have to take my little girl away from me, old man?" He spoke quietly through his gritted teeth. His fist came down on the cool ground fast but his hand stopped just short of hitting the surface. his hand then fell limp in defeat. Tooth couldn't stand it, she  fluttered up quietly and carefully and knelled beside him.

"Pitch?" She called to him gently. Seemingly lost in his own thoughts, it was a moment before his head shot up and his stormy grey eyes met her soft pink ones.

"T-Toothiana," His voice drastically changed. A certain venom was thrown in his words, like throwing a curtain up to hide what might have seen. "What are you going here?"

She pursed her lips before unfolding her hands to reveal the vial. She held it up, letting the painted image of his face point at him. "Here," She finally said, hoping he'd take it. Unsure, he took the case from her. His fingers were long and careful, they touched her soft knuckles momentarily. Once it was safely in his hand, she pulled her hand away. "Memories are powerful, Pitch. And Memories can help you through your most vulnerable state. I'm not saying that you are, I'm just- Listen, Pitch, I'm here to help you, okay? Remembering the past can help you with the present."

He went quiet, looking down to the vial, which encased his teeth of childhood. For him, it had been so long ago. "Why?" He finally asked collectively, the venom from his voice gone. "Why help me?"

She lifted her shoulders softly as she looked up to him and replied."Everyone needs a little help sometimes, no matter who they are."She gave him a small smile, He wings fluttering behind her. She set a hand on the cool patterns that would unfold and open if Pitch did the same. "Accept my help... Please?"

After a moment, he numbly nodded. She pulled her hand away as he replaced the spot with his own fingers.

His vision changed as the world around him changed. Instead of  the birdlike woman next to him it was a quite different figure.

 _"Jack Frost?"_ He wanted to call to him but no sounds came out. He looked much different, instead of his signature white hair it was a dark brown. It was laying flat, a line of sweat on his forehead.  In his hands was a dirty looking potato, in his other was a peeler. He turned to me then, turning his dirty face into a grin before turning away.

The scene changed again, melting like an image in the water before his eyes. He was flying on as glider.. in the center of space. The the left, was a luminous moon, to the right was Jack again. Jack skillfully glided through enemies, slicing them with a heavy saber. As he zoomed back to Pitch, the saber was dripping with black blood. Another, like before, a grin sparked across his face, mischievous in all its intentions.

Yet again the scene changed. I barely got a view of it before I was swept away again. A group of rough looking men, sitting and drinking and laughing as Jack, yet again, told some joke I didn't hear. The men were all laughing and smiling.

Before I got into detain my view changed again, my arm around a small figure. Speaking his first words, his eyes darted to Jack.

_"This is my Daughter. You are to watch over her and protector at all costs."_

He nodded surely, with a note able 'yes sir.'

He looked down to his daughter. His heart pained as her bright blue eyes looked up to him. She was so beautiful. She was his light, his only happiness. He remembered now, he was the Lord High General Of The Galaxies. Jack, was a new recruit in the brigade.  He remembered now how he trusted Jack with his most precious part of his life, and how he guarded her like a little sister.

His most precious part of his life was always her, his wild hearted daughter, Emily Jane. She was wild and happy, sneaking out to fly the galaxies nearby. Her mother hated when she did but he, he would always turn a blind eye to watch her do that. What she loved doing.  She was always his wildhearted girl, and always will be.

His vision changed. Once again and now, clashing against the last gentle and calm setting, he was now midst battle. Swords clashed around him, his own pushing into a dark figure before pulling out and the creature falling to the floor.

 _"Daddy!_ " A little yell came from his left. He looked and bent down to hold his daughter to his chest. She was fine, he made sure. _"Daddy, he- he-..."_ Her tears were catching up to her as she tried to speak. She resulted to pointing to where she had ran from. Jack sat against a wall, hunched over the sword that had pierced his side and the wall behind him. Blood seeped from the wound, and his chest heaved his last breaths.

Pitch pulled his daughter into his arms and lunged forward him, just as he was yanked from the memory.

Suddenly his head was spinning and he had no air in his lungs. Heaving, planting his hands in front of him, he got a sense of what and whom was around him.

"Pitch? Are you-" Tooth asked but he had cut her off.

"Jack- Ja- Where.." He heaved, more to himself. His thoughts swirled to Ellie. His beautiful substitute for Emily. That's all she was, a substitute. That didn't mean he didn't love her like his own, he had done one thing he would never do for another, he saved her. He wouldn't do that for anybody else, until now. His own words from so long ago boomed in his head.

_I never worried about her, because I knew you would protect her._ _And... You did. In the end, you did._


	13. An Oath To Mistaken Identities

"I only have so much juice to glide- Jaaack-" I groaned at him as  he tried to get me to fly in my own.

"I'll catch you if you run out, just fly for a little while." He said, letting me trail a thin wire under my feet before letting me go. Mostly. I snatched at his hand as I wavered on my fiery thread. We were pretty high up, and I've realized over and over again that I don't like heights. At all.

"You won't burn me, will you?" He asked, looking down to my thread.

I shakily shook my head. "No, the majority of the time my fire won't hurt anyone. I just have to keep it under control, ya know?" I explained carefully. I made the mistake of looking down to my feet. The trees and cars and roads looked like a toy set, they were so small. Gulping, I pulled Jack closer  to me for support.

Meanwhile, he was laughing at me. "You okay?"

I glared at him as I replied. "Oh, peachy." I said sarcastically, my voice wavering.

"Don't worry, okay? I got you." He said, trying to reassure me. I nodded carefully.

I tried to focus on the moon. It was bright as it was all night, meaning dawn was approaching.

After a moment, I had to close my eyes to keep the dizziness from getting the better of me. I turned my focus on not squeezing Jack's hand too hard and a took a few breaths. I was used to gliding around home. Barely touching the surface. I basically wasn't mentally prepared to take the high skies. At all.

"Is that-" I opened my eyes to see an approaching colorful figure. It had to be tooth, rushing to us. I thought she was back at her palace?

"Ellie! Jack! Pitch asked- Pitch wants to talk with you," she heaved, obviously out of breath. Her cheeks were flushed almost red like she was blushing.

surprised, I nodded. "I uh, okay, where is he?"

"In your uh, home." I nodded again, like a bobble head. The three of us zoomed away, sooner than later falling into the trees below us and skidding into the icy snow in the open area around the hole.

Suddenly, my brain was racing 500 miles an hour. What did he want? Why Jack too? What if it's a trap for Jack and Tooth? And most importantly, why was Tooth the one to fetch us?

"You okay?" Jack asked, nudging my arm with his elbow.

"Yeah, I'm just.." I took a deep breath. "Let's go, shall we?" I gave him a soft smile, more to reassure myself.

I stepped down into the hole, skillfully using the dirt edges to climb down quickly. I planted both feet on the familiar rock and felt my feet pump under me before I could ask myself what I'm doing. I ran to the nearest stairway and ran up, getting some height before jumping off the edge.

This, only a few feet compared to earlier, was no big deal. I felt more of a rush then fear. Using this, I shot a strain of fire in front of me and landed, now big enough to glide to the main globe floor.

Dad walked out from the shadows and to the edge of the globe. I purposely flew right into him, letting him catch me in a tight hug. I'd missed him. I hate leaving him on bad terms. I don't think I could ever really leave my dad, he needed me to much. If only he would let himself find the balance between the two, spending time with him and becoming a Guardian.

I know I've been very hypocritical about becoming as Guardian. I don't want to because of the  big risk of loosing control, but I do want to become a guardian. To make a difference. To add something everyone needs in their life. For Jack, it was fun, for North, it was wonder. Whatever I put into the world, I want to make the most of it.

"I've.. Come to the realization that my little nightmare isn't so little anymore," dad said after a moment.

I didn't reply, I couldn't really. Other than my emotions getting the better of me, my face was nicely wedged between his arms and his chest.

"And.. That one day you need to do what you were meant to do... Become a Guardian."

I pulled away to see his face. "What made you change your mind?" I asked, as calmly as I could. I watched his eyes look over my shoulder before looking back to me.

"I have a little help from Toothiana," he confessed with a small smile. I looked back to see Tooth red as she was before. Were her feathers always like that?

"Anyway, I want you to know you know have my full support."

I just decided to nod and hug him again.

"And Jack," he said in a louder tone. He stepped away from me and walked over to him, talking as he spoke. "Watch over her for me, alright? I have high faith you can, Frost."

"Yes sir," Jack said, surprised of his words. I watched him turn his head to Tooth, which made her flutter uneasily with her nimble fingers facing her lips before letting her hand fall from her face. Strange, really.

"You okay, Tooth?" Me and Jack asked together.

She seemed to perk at our words. "Oh! Fine, happy you and Pitch made up. How about we get to The Pole to finish the oath," she suggested.

I nodded, walking over to the three of them. I looked to Dad. "You'll come, won't you?" I asked.

"Of course."

* * *

I watched as Ellie and Jack flew ahead of us, Jack trying to help her balance herself. I watched carefully, his hand holding her waist for a moment, her always grabbing for his hand unsure of their height. I took notes, I couldn't say I liked it.

Toothiana flew next to me, shyly. We were far enough from Ellie and Jack that I felt that it was safe to talk.

"So about earlier tonight," I said with a smirk down to her.

"It's fine! It's uh, fine. We don't have to talk about it."

"I'm not sure if I should say I that I'm sorry, or let it be."

"No, no, it's fine. More than fine, actually but.." She babbled out.

"Are you saying you liked it?" I teased. She started to blush again.

"I didn't mean that-" she quickly defended herself. I gave her a chuckle and raised my hands.

"Fine, fine. I won't mention our kiss again."

* * *

It was a few minutes later when we reached to pole. Thankfully, too. I was starting to run out in mid-flight, and Jack stayed by his promise and carried me the little ways too solid ground. I could feel Dad sneer at the simple action, but I tried to ignore it.

We walked in and immediately found North, well heard him. He was loudly grumbling in Russian, somewhere upstairs. Guessing that Jack knew where he was, he flew up to the workshop floor  and opened the door. Soon after, North came out happy seeing us all here.

"Aha! So you're ready to take the Oath, Ellie?" He called. I nodded with a smile. "And Pitch, eh, no hard feelings?"

"I wouldn't say that North, but a peace treaty is in hand," he called to North. "If Ellie will be allying with you all I might as well act nice."

North let out a chuckle. "Good enough for me."

North came down while the yetis and elves got their instruments and torches seemingly from out of nowhere. I more forcefully shied away from the floral necklaces,  but an elf got a red flower crown on my head even against my protests.

"Let's get this over with, shall we?" North said with a smile, as he was handed the large book from before. I nodded. He opened the book and the elves started their fanfare. My eyes drifted to meet Jacks. He was beaming at me, happy that I decided to become a Guardian. I was beginning to think that I might have nothing to worry about, I couldn't lose control around all if them. They were too sweet. Too respectful. Too.. Too much like their centers.

My mind drifted to my center. The one thing I don't know about myself, and the one thing I'm most curious about. I had no idea what my center could be. Everyone seemed to just breathe their center, it was obvious after a little time. Do I do the same? Do they know my center, but won't tell me? What if it's bad?

North's voice broke my thoughts "-Do you, Ellie Pitchiner, take the oath to watch over, protect, and help the children if the world at any cost?"

I turned to him and nodded. "I do." With a smile, he continued.  "Then Ellie, I you are now an official guardian!" He said happily. The elves tooted their trumpets excitedly and the Guardians present cheered happily. I smiled at them. Dad was smiling, unexpectedly.

"Ellie, is your hair changing color?" Tooth suddenly asked hurriedly.

I pulled my hair from my back to lay over my shoulders, so I could see its long tips. The raven black I was born with was fading into a dark red. It wasn't a natural red, but a color almost like fire at his darkest moment.

I couldn't help but to stare. With my hair jacks hoodie also changed color. It turned to a brighter red, and the collar and sleeves turned black and burnt looking. Amazing, really.

"Ellie, why in the bloody hell would you--" I jumped, hearing Bunny yell at me as he walked into the globe room. I turned and saw him stop in mid sentence. "How did yeh...? Hair.. Jumper... Pitch, at the pole? What in the bloody hell is going on here?"

"What's wrong Bunny?" jack asked apprehensively.

"What's wrong? I'll tell yeh what's wrong, somehow Ellie here had time to ruin my eggs and my baskets and make it back here to change her hair 'n all!"

"W-what?" I gasped. "I didn't.."

"She was with us all night, Rabbit. She had no way to." Dad suddenly defended aggressively.

"Oh don't you start, you probably brainwashed her or somethin’ to get her to do it for you!"

"Bunny!" Tooth scolded fiercely. She got between the two, Bunny was reaching for his boomerangs and my dad was forming a baseball bat of nightmare sand. I jumped out of the circle of elves to grab my dad's arm. I wouldn't let someone get hurt, I wouldn't.

"She did, I saw her with my own eyes. Smashing my eggs this morning like she was letting anger out. Why Ellie?"

"I don't- I didn't.." I stuttered. He pointed a finger in my direction.

"Bunny, relax. It couldn't have been her, we all have been here with her all night." Jack said, jumping between them along Tooth when Bunny stepped towards me.

"Then who could it have been? You must have some diabolical twin Sheila if it wasn't you because I swear on my Warren it was you." Bunny said, obviously a still heated but was making an effort to not blow his top.

I shook my head softly. "I don't know, Bunny. I was here, taking the oath."

"An impostor is what I'm hearing," Growled North. "But we know of no one who can shapeshift or--"

"You're all smarter than I thought, even for Guardians. Evil twins, impostors, shapeshifters? You're on the right track, but that's just the tip of the iceberg." A giggle came from around us, echoing. I can't a tap on my shoulder and I jumped around, catching a glimpse of someone very familiar. Someone who had my face, my dark raven hair and glowing eyes. She smirked at me and wavered close to my face, her breath like ice but her eyes were alight in mischievous rage. She finally spoke after what seemed like ages, her voice alluring with a tone of anger behind her otherwise sweet tone.

"Hello _Eleanora_ , fancy finally meeting you."


End file.
